- This topic has 5 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 16 years, 1 month ago by
.
-
Posts
-
Hi
I’ve had a read most of the various Pat testing Threads including these two:
http://www.ukwhitegoods.co.uk/modules.p … ic&t=14858
http://www.ukwhitegoods.co.uk/modules.p … ic&t=25706For some time I’ve been mulling over the idea of offering Pat Testing. One of the letting agents I work for keeps asking me when am I going to offer the service??
I’ve already found a local college who are offering the course.
Pretty good College, I’ve done courses there before but they now run the course over two days. Apparently it’s been upgraded by C&Gs from a Level 2 to a Level 3 Training course.
I need to know whether it’s going to viable cost wise? I’m going to try and find some costings (locally) tomorrow but just out of interest what are the latest prices folks charge? I also need to do bit more re-search into possible equipment to purchase.
Do you have a set charge and then charge per appliance, or is it charged soley on appliance numbers???
I’m going to try the other lettings agents I do work for and see if they’re interested and see if they’ll let me know what price they paid.
I’ve checked my PLI and I’m covered and they will issue (FOC) a new certificate with PAT on it…Pretty good, well done Zurich Direct
Any other suggestions/advice more than welcome.
Anyone had success or horror stories.
God I need some work/money – took books to accountants today and had a quick look. Last week was 80{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d} down on a peak Oct/Nov last year. This week is not much better…
Thanks in advanceRe: Pat testing – training/equipment costs Vs income
I had the same idea as you and did the course about 18 months ago. Unfortunately I cocked up on my purchase of a tester. I wanted one with the earth leakage test as well as the usual Earth bond and insulation checks. This is needed for testing computer equipment, some of which can be damaged by the 500 volt insulation test. I bought a Seaward Primetest 100. This does do the earth leakage but it can’t be used on most computers as you can’t turn off the insulation test, it’s an automatic sequence :rolls: I also bought a software CD on Ebay but that was also useless as the forms it produces don’t conform to the IEE Code of Practice.
It seemed that I would have to spend a lot more to get a suitable tester so I’ve not bothered to do any more until the last few weeks. I was using the Seaward to test appliances I had repaired but didn’t offer testing as a service. A few weeks ago a national PAT testing service rang me to ask if I could do some testing at a local hair salon. I didn’t know how they got me as I’ve never advertised PAT testing but I suppose it may have been from a health & safety website where I had posted in PAT discussions.
I explained the above story to the PAT guy and we eventually got to the subject of me wanting a better machine. The firm sell new and used testers co I sent my Seaward to them to see if they would do a part ex. They offered me £100 but the tester I chose from their website, a used Metrel M2142 was already reserved for another customer.
I had a look on Ebay and found the same model of Metrel on auction at a starting price of £200. I was the only bidder and now have the machine, it arrived yesterday. It will do everything I want, it even comes with a CD and an RS232 cable to connect to a PC. There is an optional printer but that can wait until I’ve got plenty of PAT testing work!Re: Pat testing – training/equipment costs Vs income
I was on a gas refresher a few months ago, several part P guys passed part P and then as an extra took the City and Guilds Pat Test course, they all failed, much to there annoyance and the delight of the centre they had to resit the exam.
C&G have a very simply 2 day course, there isn’t much too it, but there computor test is worded very very complicated, I’ve come accross guys with 8 yrs PAT experience failing the course.
I think money is the driving force.
Re: Pat testing – training/equipment costs Vs income
Yes, the exam is done on a PC. The Elgin college where I took it has a very high pass rate. If a lot are failing it is down to poor teaching as it is not difficult. The exam is also marked by the computer so you get the result a few minutes after you finish. I was driving home, knowing I’d passed, before the exam officially finished!
Re: Pat testing – training/equipment costs Vs income
Re: C&G Testing.
Yes I have a fair amount of experience with C&G written/online testing (they call it GOLA – Global Online Assessment – IE – many colleges running online assessments at the same time). It sounds simple enough multi-choice or multi guess as it is often known as. Not C&G. They can be worded quite confusingly. On some of the questions’s it’s not as simple as eradicate 2 questions and have a good guess…. Apparently it sorts the men from the boys….. The official reason (for the similar answer options) is that you need to know your subject!!!!
We had the questioning techniques explained to us on various courses I’ve attended. Once you’ve done a couple and know what to expect it’s not a problem. However, go in blind/badly or not briefed by your college staff= disasterous results. Even if you are experienced and clued up to the eyeball. A bit like practicing to pass your driving test………….
I Didn’t get to book the course today as planned. I’ve not got enough g’tees/ promises of the the work yet – but id get the go ahead off the boss today… She’s happy…….:D
Re: Pat testing – training/equipment costs Vs income
Took the course, did the management one as well at the time (they offered it cheap if we took it at the same time, then forgot to charge us for it).
Passed them both, like it’s been said, you have to know your stuff and read the and understand the questions correctly. Some of the answers look identical until you see that just one or two words have been changed, and that alters the whole context of the question.
As for making any money out of it.. not really. Got all the kit, had quite a bit of work lined up and did some of it. Then worked out very quickly that it didn’t really pay enough at all. Have £600 quids worth of pat tester hardly been used 🙁
Still, it’s another string to your bow I suppose. 🙂
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.